Tottenham Hotspur are worried that Heung-min Son will struggle to rediscover his best form and it could result in him being dropped from boss Ange Postecoglou's preferred starting line-up when he has a full squad to select from at Hotspur Way, GIVEMESPORT sources have revealed.
Spurs secured fresh attacking impetus in the final hours of the winter transfer window when an initial loan deal was tied up for Mathys Tel, with the north Londoners having an option to make the move from Bayern Munich permanent for £45million in the summer, and they edged towards the top half of the Premier League by beating Manchester United last weekend.
Antonin Kinsky and Kevin Danso also arrived at Tottenham midway through the campaign, with Postecoglou having an obligation to buy the latter for £20.9million after reaching an agreement with Ligue 1 outfit Lens, but Son's performances in recent weeks have alerted influential figures.
Spurs Having Doubts Over Future Role of Son
Captain's lack of goals leading to worries behind the scenes
Tottenham are increasingly concerned after Son has become less of a feared presence in the final third of the pitch, according to GMS sources, and his performances while the north Londoners have been forced to contend with an injury crisis have led to question marks over whether he will remain one of the first names on the team sheet heading into next season.
Spurs eliminated the possibility of their captain walking away as a free agent in the summer by triggering a 12-month extension option written into his contract in January, but he has struggled to find the back of the net when Postecoglou has needed him to step up to the plate while the likes of Dominic Solanke have remained out of action.
GMS sources have been informed that Son may struggle to hold onto a place in Tottenham's preferred starting line-up when all of their attacking options have returned from injury and are back up to speed, leading to there being growing concerns over his future role with the north Londoners as they put plans in place for next season.
The winger is Spurs' highest-earner, thanks to being on a deal which allows him to pocket £190,000-per-week, resulting in chairman Daniel Levy and other influential figures behind the scenes expecting more from him when Postecoglou has been seeking help while dealing with a threadbare squad.
Brennan Johnson and Wilson Odobert will provide Tottenham with additional wide options after making a full recovery from their respective injuries and coming on as substitutes in the win over Manchester United last weekend, and GMS sources have learned that Son is reaching a point where he will no longer be considered an automatic starter.
GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Heung-min Son lost possession on 13 occasions during Tottenham Hotspur's win over Manchester United last weekend
Tel Could be Long-Term Replacement for Son
North Londoners have option to make initial loan move permanent
GMS sources have been told that Tottenham are increasingly optimistic about being able to convince Tel to snub potential offers from other suitors and remain on board beyond the remainder of the season if they choose to take advantage of their option to make his move permanent, while he could prove to be a long-term replacement for Son.
The South Korea international has become a fan favourite at Spurs since his £22million switch from Bayer Leverkusen in August 2015, but it is increasingly likely that he has reached the final stages of his career with the north Londoners and that has resulted in plans being put in place to prepare for his eventual exit.
Tel could make the left-sided attacker position his own when first-choice frontman Solanke returns to contention for a starting berth, GMS sources understand, which would leave Son having to settle for a place on the bench or contemplate embarking on a fresh challenge as he edges towards being on the club's books for a decade.
The 32-year-old is in danger of facing even more competition if Postecoglou opts to dip into the transfer market during the summer, and GMS sources recently revealed that Spurs could have an opportunity sign Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic due to additional interested parties having doubts over whether to splash the cash on him.
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